Sunset ^beta

Chapter Text

Osgood stared out of the window as they were driven down a quiet road through a forest, trying to ignore the fact she was sitting next to her boss, Kate. Her straight boss she totally had not fallen completely in love with. 

She glanced over to the blonde, watching as she read through her tablet. “Do you know anything about this mission Ma’am?” Osgood asked trying to sound professional but hating  the tremble of nerves in her voice.

“We are going to Ambleside, because of some unconfirmed. sightings near White Cross Bay. We believe that whatever it is could be alien.” Kate explained, as the brunette just listened to her. “WE don’t know if it is actually something alien but we can't take the chance if they are putting the planet at riskI don’t know if it is actually something alien and if they are putting the planet at risk.”

“Why Ambleside? ” Osgood asked. As much as the brunette loved traveling to different places for her work for UNIT and getting to spend time with Kate, part of her just wished that she would have been able to just be doing her work in her lab back in London. “There have been no reports of Unit related events since the 90s. And even then it was just a false alarm. We could be traveling all this way for nothing…”

“I wouldn’t say it would be for nothing.” Kate replied, her voice in a laugh. “There is actually quite a lot to do in Ambleside. A lot of art galleries, it can actually be quite scenic. ”

Osgood nodded her head. ‘Did she just talk about spending time in Ambleside with me?’ she thought t0 herself. Part of her felt excited at the idea that maybe things between her and Kate were mutual. But she had to remind herself. Kate was straight. There was no world where Kate would feel anything romantic for her.

As the car pulled to a halt under a leafy canopy, Osgood quickly undid her seat belt and left the car, bracing herself against the potential of pollen. She was surprised to find the breeze from the lake kept problem at bay.. Unaware of Kate emptying the car boot of their suitcases, Osgood stared up at the breathtaking surroundings. The Waterridge Inn stood right beside Lake Windimere. 

It did seem perfect that the place where they were staying was right next to the whole reason they had even traveled there.

“Os?” Kate called out trying to get the attention of the brunette, but failed. “Osgood?” She repeated, this time causing her to look over to her. “Car is unpacked.” The blonde was stood next to the three suitcases, one being for the UNIT equipment and the others being for their clothes.

Osgood without thinking quickly grabbed her suitcase and the one filled with the UNIT equipment, and they both walked towards the entrance of the Inn.

Her mind thought back to her parents who had been trying to get her to have dinner at theirs with her sister. They were supposed to be having the dinner that night but instead got called in to UNIT. She did much rather spend time with Kate, at an inn hours away than have to sit in a family gathering with her parents while they belittle her because they don’t think she has a successful job. When they were not able to find out the truth of her job. Or complaining how she was not in a relationship.

“Osgood?” A voice asked. “Are you okay?”

“Oh, yes.” Osgood replied, shocked to realise that her wandering mind had missed the check in, and the lift, and finding herself following Kate down a corridor. “Just a bit tired…”

“Okay!” Kate answered, glancing around at the doors they had passed. “Room 13! This is our room.”

‘Us? in one room?’  Osgood swallowed down her anxiety. ‘Of course, undercover, sharing a room, budget cuts…’ Her thoughts began to spiral and she shook her head to clear it.

Osgood watched as she unlocked the door and walked into the room. The inside of the room had green walls with an accent wall of  flowery wallpaper, a table surrounded by two arm chairs and a couch, and at the other side of the room a double bed…

Their eyes stopped at the double bed. “I’ll take the couch.” Kate suggested, causing Osgood to quickly look over to her.

“Kate, you don’t have to.” The brunette replied, “We can just share the double bed…” Her heart dropped. She just realized what she just suggested to Kate… Her boss… Her boss who she had fallen completely in love with and who did not feel the same back… “Well it’s up to… i mean I don’t mind… You know what I mean.” She stammered through her blush.

“Okay.” Kate said softly, her voice in a slight laugh. She arched her eyebrow as if she had a thought but instead walked deeper into the room and sat down on one of the arm chairs. “We mainly have to monitor Lake Windermere in case of any unusual occurrences… If there is any…”

“While there is actually a big chance nothing will happen?” Osgood replied, while looking out of the window at Lake Windimere. 

“Yeah…” Kate answered, looking over to Osgood. “I know I said that there can be a lot to do here in Ambleside, but I was actually also not that happy for this mission. I was meant to have my two kids over for dinner, now that my daughter is back in the UK. It honestly feels like someone is trying to force me to take a holiday…”

“I would not be surprised if it's Shindi…” Osgood agreed, before walking over to where Kate was and sat on the chair opposite to her. “The amount of times he has suggested to me that I need to take time off instead of spending so much time in my lab…”

“So we are agreed that if this turns out to be nothing, we will confront Shindi?” The blonde asked Osgood, glancing over to her face. 

“Yes!” Osgood replied, with a smile across her face.

Chapter Text

Osgood was sat on one of the armchairs inside the hotel room, trying to read a book. But her mind kept thinking back to Kate. Having to share a room and bed with Kate, her straight boss, who she also had a crush on. Her cheeks reddened at the thought. 

She turned towards the windows to see Kate stood on the balcony staring out over the lake neighbouring the Inn. She couldn’t help but be less annoyed at Colonel Shindi for sending them both hours away to deal with an Alien incursion that was most likely fake. Now she is able to spend time with the blonde… outside of work. 

Unaware of the fact Kate had returned into the room, Osgood found herself smiling at the thought of the blonde. “Osgood?” The Kate asked, causing Osgood’s eyes to widen out of embarrassment. ‘Oh no. I was smiling at Kate while she walked in, and she noticed it!’  “Are you okay?”

“Yes?” The brunette answered. ‘Maybe she didn’t notice it.’  She hoped. But she knew that was unlikely– Kate noticed everything, she just didn't always understand what it meant…

“I was going to ask if you would be up for going on a walk around… with me?” Kate asked her. ‘Oh…’  Osgood thought about it. Oh she loved the idea of a walk around Ambleside with Kate, and she felt so relieved that Kate didn’t seem to notice how she smiled at her. 

“Of course I would.” Osgood answered, with a smile on her face. 

The two walked through Borran park, Kate found herself glancing over to the brunette watching as she admired their surroundings. Her mind thought back to when they were in their Inn room– the smile Osgood gave her when she walked back into the Inn. She had never seen the brunette smile like that. ‘It was probably nothing.’ She thought to herself, shaking her head in an attempt to get the thought out of her head. 

“Os?” Kate asked, trying to get the attention of the brunette. Osgood looked over to her with an intrigued look across her face, her cheeks reddening.

“Oh, Yes Kate?” Osgood replied, couldn’t help but smile at the blonde. Kate noticed it… again. ‘Interesting.’

“What were you planning on doing for dinner?” The blonde asked, feeling as if her heart was speeding up. ‘What?’ 

“Oh, I am actually not sure.” Osgood answered, as they both walked over to one of the benches looking out over Lake Windimere and they both sat down. 

“I was wondering…” Kate said, pausing to breathe. ‘Why do I feel nervous’ She thought to herself, feeling as if she felt like there was something off… but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “If you would like to have dinner… with me… at the Inn restaurant?”

“Oh, Yes!” The brunette answered, while Kate watched the Geese in the distance. “I would love to have dinner with you…”

“Osgood you can go on ahead and get us a table… I will meet you down there.” Kate said to the brunette. She wondered whether she would be able to contact Shindi over the lack of an Alien Incursion. Part of her felt suspicious that this wasn’t just because he felt that they both deserved time off– but something more. She just didn’t know what.

Osgood nodded her head with a smile across her face and then left the room. Kate quickly reached for her phone and searched for Shindi’s contact.

Kate pressed call, waiting patiently for him to answer. “Hello?” A voice asked down the phone. 

“Vikrim, about that alien creature sighted…” Kate began, focusing on how Shindi would react.

“Yes?”

“I was just thinking that it is strange that the last time there was a report of a UNIT related event was back in the 90s… and that turned out to JUST be a false alarm…” Kate carefully explained. “We originally felt as if you were just trying to get us to take a break… but I was starting to think that maybe it was something more…” 

“Oh… really?” 

“Yes. This whole thing is quite confusing to me so I thought that I should ask you about it… Just in case this is another… false alarm…”

“I really don’t know… what you are… talking about..”  Shindi answered before hanging up the phone. The tone of his voice sounded like he was lying about something.

Kate grabbed her bag and quickly left the room to meet Osgood down in the restaurant. Walking down the corridor she thought about the way Shindi acted in that phone call.  Shindi knew they travelled all that way for nothing. ‘Did he think…’  Kate shook her head, there was no way Shindi could think there was something romantic going on between her and Osgood. 

Kate carefully read through the menu, trying to decide what she should choose for dinner. ‘Steak and Ale pie? Lamb Leg Steak?’ “Kate, What do you think you are going to get?” Osgood asked, watching as the blonde lowered the menu.

“I was thinking maybe the Steak and Ale pie.” Kate answered, she noticed the brunette had already returned her menu to the table holder. “What are you going to have Os?”

“I am going to get the traditional fish and chips.” Osgood replied, with a smile on her face.

“Oh that does sound good.” Kate returned the smile. She breathed in as if she was about to say something.

“Are you two ready to order?” A voice asked, catching both of their attention. Kate looked over to see the waiter stood at the side of their table

“Yes!” The blonde replied, placing her menu on the table. "Could I please have the Steak and Ale pie?” 

Osgood watched as the waiter noted down Kate’s order in the note book. “And you?” The waiter turned over to the Brunette.

“Oh, the traditional fish and chips please?” Osgood answered. Once the waiter walked away Osgood turned back towards Kate. “Borran park was such a lovely place.”

“Yes!” Kate agreed. “I enjoyed watching that swarm of Geese…” She arched her eyebrow “What even is a swarm of geese called?”

“On land it is actually called a Gaggle of geese.” The brunette explained. “There are a lot of collective nouns for a group of Geese. In flight a group of can be called a skein, a team, or a wedge. On water they are called plump. The most generic term for them is of course a flock, but there are alot of other collective names for them… a bunch of greece, a chevron of geese, a christmas of greece, a cluster of geese, a drove of geese, a gagelynge of geese, a string of geese…” Kate’s eyes widened from shock, she never realised there were so many names for geese and that Osgood knew them all.

“Osgood?” The blonde asked, trying to get Osgood’s attention. 

“Oh yes Kate?” Osgood glanced over to Kate, snapping out of her train of thoughts about geese. 

“So you know a lot of facts about Geese?” 

“Yes.” Os replied, “A while back I was at work overnight due to a high likelihood of an alien incursion so I researched facts about Geese…”

Kate gave her a soft smile, as the waiter returned to their table with their food. 

That night Kate found herself staring up at the ceiling as she lay in the bed beside Osgood. Osgood was fast asleep. But all the blonde could think about was the way she felt when trying to ask if she wanted to have dinner with her. The way she saw Osgood was blushing.

It made kate's heart feel warm. She glanced over to the sleeping brunette, feeling her heart beating faster. 'what is happening?' She thought to herself. 'Why do I feel like this?'

She quickly got up out of her bed and walked towards the balcony door.

Once she got outside she stared down at the lake the balcony looked over, lit up by the light from the moon.

But her mind shifted back to Osgood. That walk they went on around Borran park. She found herself smiling at the memory of it– her heart dropped. "Oh no! No! NO! NO! That can't be it. This can't be happening."